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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26111014">Pawn</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eileniessa/pseuds/Eileniessa'>Eileniessa</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo, Battle of Sodden Hill, Knife to the Throat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:54:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,402</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26111014</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eileniessa/pseuds/Eileniessa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Weakened from unleashing her chaos on Nilfgaard, Yennefer is left defenceless when Fringilla comes to finish her off.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1894447</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Pawn</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Re-uploaded from ‘Bloody Entertainment’.</p>
<p>Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the books by Andrzej Sapkowski, the game series by CD Projekt Red and the TV series by Netflix. I do not claim ownership to any of these characters and have written this fan fiction for entertainment, not financial gain.</p>
<p>Warnings: Spoilers for ‘The Witcher’ Netflix show, series 1, episode 3, 7 and 8.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The smell of smoke and charred flesh filled her nostrils and settled on her tongue as she took a deep breath. Yennefer choked on the decay and screwed up her eyes as she coughed, her dry throat seizing up in pain. The ground was warm against her cheek, as though it had been soaking up the heat of the sun. But the world was dark, and no rays of light pierced her eyelids as she lay on the floor taking small, shallow breaths, too weak to move. She tried to open her eyes, but it was too painful. They were dry and sensitive because of all the heat she had expended, and her vision blurred as they began to water. A shiver ran down Yennefer’s spine and her muscles ached as she shook. She was freezing and her cold breath tickled the back of her hand even as the warmth of the earth burnt it.</p>
<p>Yennefer clenched her stomach as another shudder made her body spasm painfully. She tried to focus her attention on the heat pressing against her side, willing it back into her body, but it would not come. Though the air was warm and heavy, and the ground heated like the stones of a forge, the warmth failed to touch her body and so it stayed sleeping. Yennefer tried to join it, but the aching of her muscles and the pounding in her head fought off the darkness that tried to claim her. So, she lay awake on the ground, waiting and listening, until she heard a sound.</p>
<p>Someone was walking towards her. After a few moments, she heard them stop beside her, the fabric of their clothes ruffling as they lowered themselves to the ground, a brush of air stroking the back of Yennefer’s neck. A hand lightly traced her cheekbone and she sensed someone press against her thoughts as they let their presence flow into her. It felt familiar to her, but distantly. She had not known it in a long time, and it was different now; it was stronger, darker, and filled with hatred. Hatred for her.</p>
<p>“Still alive, Vengerberg,” Fringilla whispered as her fingers lingered on Yennefer’s face, caressing her skin.</p>
<p>Her tone was light and friendly, it was the voice Yennefer remembered from Aretuza and the girl that they had lost to the South, but Fringilla’s presence against Yennefer’s mind was sharp and fierce. Yennefer tried to erect a border between them, to force the other mage away from her thoughts, but Fringilla only pushed back harder.</p>
<p> “Good,” she continued, “killing you will be my pleasure.”</p>
<p>Yennefer’s body protested as rough hands dug into her shoulders and rolled her onto her back, and she bit back a cry of pain, clenching her jaw stubbornly. She felt the weight of Fringilla’s body press against her stomach as she straddled her. Then, she wrapped her fingers tightly around Yennefer’s wrists and pulled her hands into her lap, slapping Yennefer hard across the face when she tried to resist her. Fresh blood dripped from Yennefer’s nose and her head spun as Fringilla bound her wrists together and pinned them to the ground above her head. The coarse rope cut into her inflamed skin, making her wrists throb almost as painfully as her head.</p>
<p>“Look at me, Vengerberg, I want to see the life drain from your eyes as when I kill you.”</p>
<p>Fringilla ran one of her fingers gently under Yennefer’s left eye from her nose to the side of her face. When she reached the wound by the corner of Yennefer’s eye, she pressed her fingertip down and dug her nail slightly into the fresh scab. Yennefer hissed and jerked her head to the side, pulling away from Fringilla’s hand which dropped down to her chin, gripping it between two gloved fingers. Hot breath tickled the side of Yennefer’s face as Fringilla leant forwards and whispered into her ear:</p>
<p>“Open your eyes. Edrych arnaf.”</p>
<p>Tears streamed down the side of Yennefer’s face as her eyes stung, sharp needles of pain stabbing her relentlessly while she looked up at the other mage, her imaged blurred. The muscles in Yennefer’s face strained as she tried to force her eyes shut, but she only managed to blink. After a few moments her sight cleared, and she could make out Fringilla’s features through the pain. There was a small smile on her face that made Yennefer’s breath catch her in her throat. When she tried to buck her hips and throw Fringilla off, the other mage laughed.</p>
<p>“Pathetic,” Fringilla sneered, her control and calm façade slipping away. She leant forward and pressed most of her weight against Yennefer’s wrists, pushing them into the scorched earth which began to burn her exposed skin. “You surprise me, Vengerberg, I always thought you’d go out fighting. That you would die on your own terms, and for your own reasons. But you’re just another pig sent for the slaughter. Weak, and defenceless.”</p>
<p>Yennefer flinched as she felt Fringilla press a knife against her throat. It pierced her skin slightly, and a few drops of blood dripped down her neck and pooled between her collar bones. She tried to control her breathing as the movement of her windpipe made the blade dig deeper into her skin, but Fringilla had other plans. She forced her presence deep into Yennefer’s mind until it was no longer her own, and she drew forth dark images from the furthest reaches of her mind that made Yennefer shake uncontrollably. Her heart racing, Yennefer feels her mind being pulled apart, and she cannot close herself off from the images that she sees. The dagger cuts several thin lines across her neck as Yennefer jerks her head side to side.</p>
<p>“How does it feel, piglet, to die like a pawn?” Fringilla asks, her words echoing inside Yennefer’s head. “Don’t you see how she’s used you, Yennefer. She brought you here to die for a world that you don’t believe in, and you let her. Why? Because she asked nicely? Because you wanted to please her? It doesn’t matter. Either way, you’re still just her scared, useless little pig.”</p>
<p>Fringilla pressed the blade harder against her neck, and Yennefer wonders whether Fringilla knows that she can feel her hatred seeping into her thoughts. For a moment, Yennefer feels as though she is watching herself from Fringilla’s eyes and she watches the blade dig deeper into her skin. Yennefer smiles, hardly noticing the pain anymore, and then the feeling passes, and Yennefer closed her eyes.</p>
<p>Something warm soaked into the fabric covering her chest and the blade moved away from her throat. Though Fringilla’s weight was stilled pressed against her body, Yennefer felt her presence shrink and disappear from her mind. Then, in the distance, she heard a woman’s voice. It seemed to call for her. Yennefer opened her eyes.</p>
<p>Blood trickled down Fringilla’s mouth as she clutched at the tip of the spear that had impaled her chest. She opened and closed her mouth, gurgling as she tried to breathe and choking on her blood. Fringilla looked away from her captive and over her shoulder as another presence wrapped itself around Yennefer’s exposed mind, protecting it. Tissaia knelt beside them and gripped the front of the spear as Fringilla began to slump forward. Yennefer watched as she held the Nilfgaardian’s chin and raised her head, looking her in the eye. Then, in a whisper that Yennefer almost doesn’t hear, she said:</p>
<p>“Call Yennefer by her name, snake, unlike you she’s earned it. After today, because of your failure, nobody in your sacred Empire will remember yours.” Tissaia picked up the dagger and held it in front of Fringilla’s face before pressing it against her neck. “That’s the price of failure for a pawn like you.”</p>
<p>With one quick movement, Tissaia slit Fringilla’s throat and pushed her body to the floor, regarding her for an instant before turning away. Yennefer saw Fringilla’s eyes staring blankly at the Rectoress’ back as she discarded her and moved closer to Yennefer. She cut her bounds and cradled Yennefer in her arms as she soothed her neck and helped to dislodge the cold that had filled her body. Tissaia didn’t give Fringilla so much as a backwards glance as she drew her last breath, instead, she spoke softly to Yennefer and stroked her hair as she fell asleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Bad-Things-Happen-Bingo Prompt for Anonymous on Tumblr: Knife to the throat for Yennefer, The Witcher Netflix</p>
<p>If you have enjoyed this piece of work, please consider leaving a comment.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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